There is a common misconception that painting
over the brick on houses only happened in the 20th century. In fact many historic brick houses were
painted early on in their lives and there were several reasons for this. Bricks were painted to conceal alterations
like repairs, bricked up windows or door openings. Another reason was to cover up years of coal
soot, grime and graffiti. Painting over
bricks was also done to seal protect old, spalled bricks or to disguise and
protect poor quality bricks. The last
reason was simply as a design feature.
You can remove paint from your brick work
successfully as long as the bricks were in good condition before they were
painted. Removing paint properly can be
an arduous task, but it does need to be done properly. Sandblasting and power washing are probably
the quickest methods, but to be honest aiming equipment like this at old
buildings is something that should be avoided.
Sandblasting and pressure washing are quick ways to erode the surface of
the bricks and the chemical solutions used can sometimes cause surface failures
or can change the colour of the bricks.
Even using low-pressure washing or gentle chemical solutions can force
moisture into the brick and also cause damage.
This damage is especially likely if the bricks do not dry out before
freezing weather. In such circumstances, a paint removal service can be the
only option available to clear the paint from your walls and floor at work.
Because clay bricks are heat fired and a hard
outside skin is produced, paint removal often damages this hard surface and
leaves the soft and porous inner part of the brick more susceptible to moisture
intrusion, erosion and freeze damage.
Once any of these things happen rapid deterioration is more than likely
to occur and this will call for major repairs.
Older bricks are the most likely to be damaged by paint removal as
before 1870 bricks were moulded by hand and the final quality of the brick
depended on the type of clay used and the skill of the brick maker. Modern bricks are harder in the centre but
even they can be damaged by harsh methods of paint removal.
The best paint
removal system is to use a gel or
paste to dissolve the paint. This way is
less likely to cause damage to historic bricks.
Also, most paint before 1970 contained lead which makes paint removal a
potential safety and environmental hazard.
There are now products available that can be applied to large surfaces
and contain the removed paint for proper disposal. Some paint removal chemicals are now
biodegradable or non-toxic making them safer for people and the environment and
the less caustic chemicals are less likely to damage the bricks.
Before you strip any paint from your house it
is best to test on a small area first.
Doing this can help you determine the effectiveness of the paint removal
system, the condition of the bricks under the paint, how the chemical will
affect the bricks and also how much work will be involved in removing the
paint.
